Trace.



A. M. CRAIG.

TRACE.

APPLICATION FILED 0017, 1913.

1, 1 21,805, Patented D60. 22, 1914.

.Fiy. Z

flttorn y THE NORRIS PETERS COUPHYO'IO-LITHO, WASHINGTON, D O.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER M. CRAIG, OF CARTHAGE, NEW YORK.

TRACE.

Application filed October 7, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER M. CRAIG,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Carthage, in the county of Jefferson and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traces, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in harness and particularly to reinforced traces for heavy draft work.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a trace for said purpose which shall be flexible in spite of the steel reinforcement, which shall be unweakened by adjustment perforations, which shallhave ready and easy longitudinal adjustment, and which shall be readily detachable from hame and girth.

lVith these objects in view the invention consists in the structure of parts and in their combination for the purpose specified, substantially as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents, in elevation, a trace embodying the features of this invention; Fig. 2 is a fullsized, longitudinal, medial section of the forward end of the trace seen in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a like section of the rearward end of said trace; Fig. fl: shows, in elevation, the two interlocking parts or slides of the adjustable union by which the length of the trace is regulated; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal, medial section on line 55, of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is'a transverse section on line 6-6, of Fig. 4.

In the preferred form of flexible, reinforced, adjustable tracc illustrated in the drawings, 7 designates a hook having an open shank, the recurving point 8 of which is for engagement with the ordinary eye on the left hame of a harness. To the rear end of this hook the first section, 9, of the trace is connected. The rear end of said section is connected to slide 10 of the adjustable union, the other interlocking slide of said union being designated by 11. To the rear end of slide 11, the second section, 12, of the trace is connected. Between said second section and the third section, indicated at 13, is a connecting link 14:, and at the rear end of the third section is connected the usual cockeye, 15, or other attaching devices whereby the trace may be fastened to a swingletree.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

Serial No. 793,886.

Each section of the trace is composed of a strip of steel and a leather covering stitched at its edges in the usual manner, thereby forming a leather trace with a metal. core or reinforcement. The reinforcing strips of steel for the several sections are indicated, respectively, by 16, 17 and 18. These are connected at their ends to the hame hooks, 7, the adjustable union, 1011, the link, 14, and the cockeye, 15, in a man nor to give a hinge connection to these parts. This hinge connection is effected, in the pres ent instance, by surrounding the bars 19, 20, 521, 23 and 24c of said hame hook, union, link and cockeye with steel bushings, 25, Figs. 2 and 3, then wrapping the ends of the steel strips about said bushings and riveting or otherwise securing the ends of each strip to the body portion thereof. Rivets for this purpose are indicated at 26. The ends of the leather covering are also wrapped about the bushings over the steel strips as indicated at 27. By this construction a free bending of the trace is provided at each attachment of the sections, which results in the desired flexibility without bending the reinforcement.

The hame hook, 7, is provided with a loop, 28, at a distance back of the point 8, such as will permit the passage therebetween of the hame eye when attaching or detaching the trace. To prevent accidental detachment of the trace from the hame, the outer leather of the first section is extended, as a tongue 29, over the hame hook, it being passed under the loop 28 and thereby held against the end, 8, of the hook. WVhen attaching the trace to the hame, or detaching it, the tongue, 29, is withdrawn from under loop 28, to be replaced when the trace has been again attached.

The adjustable union, 10-11, by which the working length of the trace may be aried, serves said function without the necessity of perforations for buckle tongues or of friction clamps, levers or wedges, which usually give trouble in taking up and letting out traces. This adjustment, in the improved trace, is always easily and quickly being shown in the present instance. Those on slide 10 are indicated at 30, 31 and 32 and those on slide 11 at 34-, 35 and 36, cross bars, 33, being also provided on slide 10 at a lower level than the loops and a little in advance thereof. Slide 11 is a little narrower than slide 10 so that its side pieces fit within those of slide 10. To eii'ect interlocking of the parts, loops 30, 31 and 32 have lips 37 on the left edge which enter recesses, 38, in the coacting edges of the loops on slide 10. ll hen the slides have been adjusted and interlocked, they are maintained in position by the key 39, which is preferably a strip of leather fitted to slip in between the series of interlocked loops and the cross bars 33. It may extend a little beyond the group of loops for convenience in manipulation and adds to the neat appearance of the trace by covering the spaces in the union between the loops.

In Fig. 1, the union is shown at middle position, all the loops of one series engaging those of the other, while in Figs. i and 5, slide 10 is shown. moved one step to the right, when but two sets of interlocking loops are in. engagement. The adjustment of the slides of the union may be carried still another step in the lengthening of the trace, that is until loops 3?- and 3% alone interlock.

Adjustment of the slides in the opposite- .direction, that is to shorten the working length of the trace, may be made till only loops 30 and 36 interlock. In these positions of adjustment, the key 39 fitting, as seen in dotted lines Figs. 5 and 6, between the cross bars 33 and the series of loops above and resting at its ends on the ends .47 oi the sections of the trace hinged to the slides, prevents the loops of slide 11 from dropping below the lips 37, thereby insuring maintenance oi the interlocking in the adjusted position. Outer movement of the loops of slide 11 beyond those of slide 10 is also pre vented by the side pieces of slide 11 engaging the overhanging edges of the side pieces of slide 10. Another feature of improve ment in this particular trace, resulting from the fact that the part 10 of the union is not shifted inthe adjustment of the working length of the trace, resides in the provision made for such adjustment of the union on the girth as will allow the girth billet to be a contii'iuation of or be directly attached to the backpad. For this purpose, side loops 40 and 4&1 are formed on the slide 10, loop l0 being provided with a tongue or book 42.

The continuity of the backpad and the girth billet is indicated, in dotted lines at e3, in

Figs. 1 and 6, the tongue 42 passing through holes therein. A series of holes in 43 will provide for any desired vertical adjustment of the union.

The invention claimed is 1. In a reinforced trace, the combination with sections thereof, of an interlocking adjustable union consisting of two slides each having transverse loops, the loops of one slide being adapted to engage with one or more of the loops of the other and a key for free insertion under said loops whereby the members of the union are held in locked position.

2. In a trace, the combination with sections thereof, of a slide connected to one sec tion and having transverse loops, a second slide connected to the adjacent section and also having transverse loops constructed for lateral engagement with loops of said first section, and a readily removable key for holding said loops in this lateral. engagement.

3. In a trace, the combination with sec tions thereof, of a slit e connected to one of said sections and having a series of trans verse loops, a second slide connected to an adjacent section and also having a series of transverse loops, the loops of one series being adapted to have interlocking connection with one or more of the loops of the other series whereby longitudinal adjustment of the slides is effected, and a readily removable key for holding said slides in adjustedv position.

l. in a trace. the combination with sections thereof, of a slide connected to one of said sections and having a series of transverse loops and a series 01 transverse bars in a plane below said loops and adjacent thereto, a second slide connected to an ad acent section and also having a series of transverse loops, the loops of one series being adapted to have interlocking connection with one or more of the loops of the other series whereby longitudinal adjustment of the slides is effected, and a readily removable key consisting of a strip of leather for longitudinal insertion between said interlocking series of loops and said transverse bars whereby said slides are held in adjusted position. q

In testimony whereof I hereto aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

A. M. CRAIG.

l l itnesses FRANK V. CRAIG, F. D. VVi-IEELER.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

